COURAGEOUS Sarah Clarke has been busy building up her stamina for an inspirational challenge on two wheels in a bid to raise awareness as well as funds for cancer research and treatment.

As the annual Think Pink cancer awareness campaign kicks into gear throughout October, the Bahrain-based businesswoman will be pedalling across the plains of Africa to promote charitable causes in memory of friends past and present stricken by the disease.

Sarah will climb into the saddle and cycle 350km in Tanzania as part of an organised event run by the UK-based Action for Charity initiative.

The trip, dubbed Women v Cancer – Cycle Africa, will take place from October 10-17 and see a group of cyclists cross beautiful landscapes, as they pass by numerous Maasai villages and encounter exotic wildlife.

All funds raised by Women v Cancer will be divided equally between three UK-based charities: Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action.

Sarah said: “Our group is comprised of 93 cyclists from all walks of life; some cancer survivors, others with loved ones with cancer, all with the common goal of raising awareness about this deadly disease and much-needed funds to support individuals and families dealing with it.”

Sarah Clarke, who lives in Jasra, continued: “We are just one of four groups scheduled which gives an indication of how many lives are touched by cancer.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported my fundraising and training efforts. It’s been a great motivating force.”

After arriving in Tanzania, Sarah will speed off on October 11, passing through the village of Olpopongi, where the team will visit the Mti Mmoja Primary School and drop off supplies for children, then on through numerous national parks, before finishing off in the conservation area of Ngorongoro Crater.

On the way the riders will stay in lodges and later experience a day’s safari and celebratory dinner on October 16 before returning home the following day.

Sarah, 51, first showed interest in cycling for charity in mid-2014 when a friend based in Doha posted on social media that she had signed up to an event and was looking for someone to accompany her.

She emphasised how numerous relatives had died from cancer, and the initiative was a way to remember them and also support those who were still fighting the illness. This struck a chord with Sarah who was in a very similar situation, and she immediately signed up.

She explained: “I’m cycling for two main reasons. The first is in honour of the survivors and memory of those who have passed away, while the second is encouraging women to have regular health checks and ask their doctor about any concerns they have.

“Caught early, the survival rates for breast, cervical and ovarian cancers are good.”

After signing up in a rush, it was not until the date of departure drew nearer that the reality of the task ahead actually struck Sarah. The journey will begin in the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro and span a total of five days and 350km and on a mixture of roads, dirt tracks and steep hills. This is even before the much higher altitude compared to Bahrain is considered.

Discussing her previous cycling experiences prior to registration for Women v Cancer, Sarah explained: “Before starting training I had cycled about 5km at slow speed with my pet dogs running alongside me on a lead. That was it!

“In 2010 I suffered a back injury which affected my mobility and flexibility and my fitness plummeted. I couldn’t walk properly let alone consider getting on a bike.

“I started Clinical Pilates to rehabilitate my back and gradually added carefully-tailored personal training gym sessions to add more strength. I then started cycling on my 15-year old Cannondale hybrid bike that weighs a ton, but I figured if I could ride this bike I could ride any bike they give me in Tanzania!

“Those first rides were very short, around 5km, just to test out if my back could handle going both on and off road. And then I very gradually increased the distances going out once or twice a week.”

Sarah’s progress since then has been remarkable, so much so that she now considers 40km bike rides as ‘short’. Her training schedule throughout the summer has incorporated two long rides per week, two Pilates sessions and a heavy gym workout.

Now that she is taking it easy to ensure her legs are fresh for Tanzania, Sarah reflects on her gruelling preparations. She said: “The heat is frankly a huge challenge and I have been getting up twice a week at 4am to get out for three or four hours before the sun gets too fierce. In Tanzania it’s going to be a bit cooler and slightly less humid so I’m hopeful the climate won’t be an issue.

“The hills, however, are another matter! As we all know it’s basically flat in Bahrain so I spent part of my summer holiday in the UK doing some hill work in the Forest of Dean and North Yorkshire. “The first hill I hit, my lungs nearly exploded and I had to push my bike but by the end of the summer I got the hang of it. I cycled a total of 450km during my summer training so fingers crossed I will cope with the distance at least.”

Aside from preparing for Tanzania, cycling around Bahrain has enabled Sarah to gain a newfound appreciation for the kingdom and its natural beauty. She has explored almost every nook and cranny of the island on two wheels, taking a different route every time so she can stop and take new pictures to post on her Facebook and Instagram accounts with the hashtags #tanzania2015, #womenvcancer, #challengeyourself and #yellowbike.

“I love being out early when no one is around,” she explained. “It’s the best time to see Bahrain and the sightseeing also makes the distance and time fly by!

“I mostly cycle on my own as I am quite slow and it allows me the flexibility to cut the rides short if I need to without inconveniencing anyone. Typically all the ‘pro’ cyclists pass me by but everyone is very friendly and wave at me on my clunky bike.

“I try to include off-road work in all the rides and have discovered that sand is really hard to cycle on and have fallen off not too gracefully a few times – fortunately the only spectators have been the odd camel! Most rides I cycle through the west coast villages and everyone is very friendly. In fact, one kind gentleman gave me water and dates when he saw me resting in the shade of a palm tree.”

Away from the bike, Sarah is the director of her own company in the kingdom, DSC Solutions. She is married to David, who according to Sarah, is primarily employed as the support vehicle driver and chief rescuer should she fall into difficulties on her travels.

In between rescuing and training dogs, she also writes for a Bahrain-published travel series called 101 Things to See and Do In…

Her aim was originally to raise £3,000 (BD1,730) but she has been so overwhelmed by support shown that she has increased her target to £5,000 (BD2,890).

If you wish to sponsor Sarah for her excursion, visit her Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Sarah-in-Bahrain and follow the instructions. She is paying all her own costs for the trip, such as flights and administration, so 100 per cent of all donations will go to the charities concerned.